Container closure with removable section



United States Patent 3,142,404 CQNTAHJER CLGSURE WITH REMOVABLE SECTION Frank .1. Krieps, Elmhurst, and Harley H. Mattheis, Des Plaines, Ill., assignors to Container Corporation of America, Chicago, IlL, a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 309,138 7 Claims. (Cl. 215-46) This invention relates to closures, and more particularly to a plastic cap for a container such as a bottle or tube.

The invention comprehends an improved tear strip arrangement for a plastic closure.

Although the tear strip arrangement of this invention can be used on various types of plastic closures, it is particularly suitable for use on pharmaceutical bottles whose contents must be preserved against contamination.

Closure arrangements of this type generally include a resilient stopper member, preferably formed of rubber, which is fitted within the neck of the container and over which is placed a flat rubber diaphragm which can be pierced by a needle to remove the contents of the bottle. On the outside of the diaphragm and rubber stopper there is provided an outer cover or cap, which in the past has been made of thin pliable metal such as aluminum.

It is essential that the cap structure be capable of creating and maintaining a moisture-proof and air-tight seal and that it be capable of providing easy access to the inner closure member or stopper by means of a tear out section.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide, in a plastic closure of the type described, a tear-out arrangement of simple design and construction which may be readily removed to provide access to the interior of the container.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide, in a plastic closure of the type described, a tear-out portion having sections formed in the end and side walls of the cap and defined by weakened lines of tear to permit the easy removal and separation of the tear-out section.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from an examination of the following description and drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a container having a closure arrangement embodying features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse, vertical section taken on line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the structure illustrated in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a transverse, vertical section taken on line 44 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawing for a better understanding of the invention, and particularly to FIGURE 1, it will be seen that the novel closure arrangement embodying features of the invention is shown as applied to a container, such as a glass or plastic tube or bottle B, having an integral neck portion indicated at N.

As best seen in FIGURE 2, there is positioned within the neck a resilient stopper, indicated generally at 10, preferably formed of rubber and having a cylindrical body portion 12 snugly received within the throat or discharge opening 14 of the container neck and having a generally flat circular end portion 16 projecting from the body portion 12 and adapted to seat on the outwardly facing fiat end surface 13 of the neck.

The stopper may be provided with a pair of axially disposed holes 20 and 22 one of which is adapted to receive tube 24 extending into the tube to provide air when the tube is inverted and the other of which is adapted to receive a dispensing tube of the type used in intravenous feeding and similar operations.

Disposed on top of the end portion of the stopper is a relatively thin flat circular rubber diaphragm 26 which serves to cover the outer ends of the holes 20 and 22 and which may be pierced by a needle to obtain access to the contents of the container or which may be removed when the cap is opened in a manner hereinafter described.

Still referring to FIGURE 2 of the drawing it will be seen that the cap, indicated generally at 30, includes a generally thin fiat circular end wall 32 having a side wall or skirt 34 projecting outwardly therefrom to define therewith a cavity for receiving diaphragm 26, end portion 16 of the stopper, and the outer end portion of the container neck.

In order to afford a particularly fluid-tight seal between the cap and the container the skirt may be flared outwardly so that it may be snapped over the end of the container neck in a wedge-like manner. It will be noted that the side wall of the cap is provided with an annular inner shoulder 36 which presents an inwardly facing abutment surface 38 adapted to engage a corresponding oppositely facing abutment surface 42 presented by an annular shoulder 40 on the outside of the container neck. Thus, after the cap has been snapped into position the abutment surfaces 38 of the cap and 42 of the container neck cooperate to prevent the removal of the cap from the container neck.

Inasmuch as this cap is not intended to be removed from the container at any time, in order to provide access to the contents of the container it is necessary to remove a portion of the cap. This is accomplished by providing the cap with a removable or tear-out section, indicated generally at 50, which has an end portion 52 formed in the cap end wall 32 by a generally horseshoe-shaped, preferably V-type groove 54, the ends of which extend to the edge of the cap end wall, as seen in FIGURE 3. Additionally, the removable section has a side portion 56 formed in the side wall 34 of the cap and defined by a pair of preferably V-type parallel grooves 58 extending downwardly from the respective ends of groove 54 to a point located approximately midway between the upper and lower extremities of the cap side wall. The lower extremity of the removable section side portion 56 is defined by a transversely extending slot 62 which extends all the way through the cap side Wall between the lower extremities of the parallel grooves 58. Thus, it is apparent that grooves 54 and 58 and slot 62 cooperate to provide a continuous weakened line of tear which completely circumscribes tear-out section 50 of the cap so that when section 50 is removed in its entirety the remaining portions of the cap side and end walls are left intact and firmly secured on the neck of the container.

The third portion of the cap removable section is the handle portion indicated generally at 62 which is formed integrally with and projects outwardly from the lower extremities of the removable section side portion 56, as best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, immediately above slot 60. In order to facilitate grasping of the handle section 54 it may be provided with a plurality of transversely extending ribs 64 on the upper and lower sides thereof.

It will be understood that the groove 54 and the grooves 58 provide a weakened line of tear to permit the removal of section 50 from the cap to afford access to the contents of the container. The function of slot is to facilitate the start of the tearing operation, and the handle portion 62 provides a simple and positive means of grasping the tear section to permit it tobe pulled up and readily separated from the remainder of the cap.

In order to prevent the accidental or intentional removal of the entire cap from the container, the cap side wall or skirt 34 may be provided with an extended portion 66 which is disposed to surround an annular ring or shoulder 65 on the container neck. Thus, when the J handle portion 62 of the removable section 50 is raised or pulled up, the cap will remain on the container neck and only the removable portion will be detached. Also, the close fit between skirt extended portion 66 and container neck ring 65 will prevent the cap from being pried off the container by the insertion of a prying tool therebetween.

We claim:

I. A closure arrangement, comprising the combination of:

(a) a container neck with a central discharge opening and an outer shoulder presenting an annular abutment surface facing away from the free end of the neck;

(b) a resilient stopper having a cylindrical body portion disposed within the discharge opening of the neck and an enlarged, annular, end portion seated on the free end of the neck; and

(c) a one-piece cap having a generally flat end wall,

and an outwardly flared side wall projecting therefrom and defining therewith a cavity for receiving end portions of the stopper and container neck;

(d) said cap side wall having an inner shoulder presenting an annular abutment surface facing the cap end wall and disposed for engagement with the neck abutment surface to retain the cap on the neck;

(2) said cap including a unitary, removable section formed in the end and side walls thereof and adapted to be readily separated from the remainder of the cap to provide access to the container;

( said removable section including:

(i) an end portion formed in the cap end wall by a generally horseshoe shaped V-groove having a pair of ends extending to the edge of the cap end Wall;

(ii) a side portion formed in the cap side wall by a pair of generally straight, parallel V-grooves extending longitudinally of the cap from the respective ends of said first mentioned groove, and a slot in the cap side wall extending transversely of the cap side wall between said last mentioned grooves; and

(iii) a handle portion projecting outwardly from said side section adjacent said slot.

2. A closure arrangement, comprising the combination of:

(a) a container neck with a central discharge opening;

and

(b) a one-piece cap having a generally flat end wall, and a side wall projecting therefrom and defining therewith a cavity for receiving end portions of the container neck;

(c) said cap including a unitary, removable section formed in the end and side walls thereof and adapted to be readily separated from the remainder of the cap to provide access to the container;

(d) said removable section including:

(i) an end portion formed in the cap end wall by a generally horseshoe shaped V-groove having a pair of ends extending to the edge of the cap end Wall;

(ii) a side portion formed in the cap side wall by a pair of generally straight, parallel V-grooves extending longitudinally of the cap from the respective ends of said first mentioned groove, and a slot in the cap side wall extending transversely of the cap side wall between said last mentioned grooves; and

(iii) a handle portion projecting outwardly from said side section adjacent said slot.

3. A closure arrangement, comprising the combination of:

(a) a container neck with a central discharge opening;

and (b) a one-piece cap having a generally flat end wall,

and a side wall projecting therefrom and defining therewith a cavity for receiving end portions of the container neck;

(0) said cap including a unitary, removable section formed in the end and side walls thereof and adapted to be readily separated from the remainder of the cap to provide access to the container;

(d) said removable section including:

(i) an end portion formed in the cap end wall by an arcuate groove having a pair of ends extending to the edge of the cap end wall;

(ii) a side portion formed in the cap side wall by a pair of generally straight, parallel grooves extending longitudinally of the cap from the re spective ends of said first mentioned groove, and a slot in the cap side wall extending transversely of the cap side wall between said last mentioned grooves; and

(iii) a handle portion projecting outwardly from said side section adjacent said slot.

4. A closure arrangement, comprising the combination (a) a container neck with a central discharge opening;

and

(b) a one-piece cap having a generally fiat end wall, and a side wall projecting therefrom and defining therewith a cavity for receiving end portions of the container neck;

(c) said cap including a unitary, removable section formed in the end and side walls thereof and adapted to be readily separated from the remainder of the cap to provide access to the container;

(:1) said removable section including:

(i) an end portion formed in the cap end wall by weakened line of tear having a pair of ends extending to the edge of the cap end wall;

(ii) a side portion formed in the cap side wall by a pair of generally straight, parallel weakened lines of tear longitudinally of the cap from the respective ends of said first mentioned line of tear, and a slot in the cap side wall extending transversely of the cap side wall between said last mentioned lines of tear; and

(iii) a handle portion projecting outwardly from said side section adjacent said slot,

5. A closure arrangement, comprising the combination of:

(a) a container neck with a central discharge opening;

and

(b) a one-piece cap having an end wall, and a side wall projecting therefrom and defining therewith a cavity for receiving end portions of the container neck;

(0) said cap including a unitary, removable section formed in the end and side walls thereof and adapted to be readily separated from the remainder of the cap to provide access to the container;

(d) said removable section including:

(i) an end portion formed in the cap end wall and a side portion formed in the cap side wall by a continuous weakened line of tear in the cap end and Side walls and a slot in the cap side wall extending transversely of the cap side wall between portions of said line of tear; and

(ii) a handle portion projecting outwardly from said side section adjacent said slot.

6. A closure arrangement, comprising the combination of:

(a) a container neck with a central discharge opening; and

(b) a one-piece cap having an end wall, and a side wall projecting therefrom and defining therewith a cavity for receiving end portions of the container neck;

(0) said cap including a unitary, removable section formed in the end and side walls thereof and adapted to be readily separated from the remainder of the cap to provide access to the container;

(d) said cap side Wall having a portion engageable with the container neck to prevent the accidental displacement of the cap from the neck upon the removal of said cap removable section;

(2) said removable section including:

(i) an end portion formed in the cap end Wall and a side portion formed in the cap side wall by a continuous weakened line of tear in the cap end and side Walls which completely circumscribe said removable section so that it can be removed without displacing the remainder of the cap from the container neck; and

(ii) a handle portion projecting outwardly from said side section.

7. A closure arrangement according to claim 6, and including an annular extension on the free end of the cap side wall disposed to surround an annular ring on the container neck to prevent the removal of the cap from the neck when the removable section of the cap is detached from the remainder of the cap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A CLOSURE ARRANGEMENT, COMPRISING THE COMBINATION OF: (A) A CONTAINER NECK WITH A CENTRAL DISCHARGE OPENING AND AN OUTER SHOULDER PRESENTING AN ANNULAR ABUTMENT SURFACE FACING AWAY FROM THE FREE END OF THE NECK; (B) A RESILIENT STOPPER HAVING A CYLINDRICAL BODY PORTION DISPOSED WITHIN THE DISCHARGE OPENING OF THE NECK AND AN ENLARGED, ANNULAR, END PORTION SEATED ON THE FREE END OF THE NECK; AND (C) A ONE-PIECE CAP HAVING A GENERALLY FLAT END WALL, AND AN OUTWARDLY FLARED SIDE WALL PROJECTING THEREFROM AND DEFINING THEREWITH A CAVITY FOR RECEIVING END PORTIONS OF THE STOPPER AND CONTAINER NECK; (D) SAID CAP SIDE WALL HAVING AN INNER SHOULDER PRESENTING AN ANNULAR ABUTMENT SURFACE FACING THE CAP END WALL AND DISPOSED FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE NECK ABUTMENT SURFACE TO RETAIN THE CAP ON THE NECK; (E) SAID CAP INCLUDING A UNITARY, REMOVABLE SECTION FORMED IN THE END AND SIDE WALLS THEREOF AND ADAPTED TO BE READILY SEPARATED FROM THE REMAINDER OF THE CAP TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE CONTAINER; (F) SAID REMOVABLE SECTION INCLUDING: (I) AN END PORTION FORMED IN THE CAP END WALL BY A GENERALLY HORSESHOE SHAPED V-GROOVE HAVING A PAIR OF ENDS EXTENDING TO THE EDGE OF THE CAP A PAIR OF ENDS EXTENDING TO THE EDGE OF THE CAP END WALL; (II) A SIDE PORTION FORMED IN THE CAP SIDE WALL BY A PAIR OF GENERALLY STRAIGHT, PARALLEL V-GROOVES EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE CAP FROM THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF SAID FIRST MENTIONED GROOVE, AND A SLOT IN THE CAP SIDE WALL EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE CAP SIDE WALL BETWEEN SAID LAST MENTIONED GROOVES; AND (III) A HANDLE PORTION PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID SIDE SECTION ADJACENT SAID SLOT. 